Mendocino Art Center October Gallery Exhibits October 1, 2008

Walt Padgett, "The Works"
The Mendocino Art Center presents the artwork of Grants Pass, OR, artist Walter Padgett in a Main Gallery exhibit titled "The Works," during the month of October. Padgett is a versatile artist, working as a watercolor and oil painter, a metal and bronze sculptor, a photographer and printmaker. The focus of this showing is the work that has so greatly captured his imagination – his traditional Japanese woodblock prints.

On Friday, October 10, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, Padgett will present a documentary slide show on the traditional process of Japanese woodblock printing: an educational and inspiring look at the history of the Tokaido, weaving photos of its landscape and architecture with the work of the early printmakers who depicted its beauty, Sekino and Hiroshige. His presentation has been enthusiastically received at the Portland Art Museum, the Berkeley Art Center, the Japanese Garden in Portland, and many other centers for the arts. Donations are requested.

"Foreign Affairs" Group Exhibit
In June of this year, a group of current and former Mendocino Coast artists and residents shared a villa in the outskirts of Lucca, Italy. The beauty of Tuscany, as well as travels before and after the stay, inspired the artwork created for "Foreign Affairs," an Abramson Gallery exhibit of collage, painting, pastel, photography, and stained glass. Artists featured are Karen Bowers, Leonardo Bowers, Mina Cohen, Sharon Hunter, Elaine Leedy, Jeff Leedy, Bill Mahon, and Bob Rhoades.

Sixth Biennial Figure Drawing Exhibit
The Sixth Biennial Mendocino Figure Drawing Collective Exhibit in the Nichols Gallery, features artwork by a loose-knit, devoted group of local and out-of-town artists who have been keeping alive the centuries-old tradition of drawing from the nude. They have met once a week for over twenty years, and this year have begun meeting twice for drawing and once a week for sculpting in the Mendocino Art Center studios. Visual artists have traditionally considered figure drawing a basic discipline to maintain and advance their skills. This exhibit celebrates two powerfully resonant issues that have endured for centuries: appreciation of the body as an object of beauty; and appreciation of drawings of the body as art objects having value in and of themselves.

The exhibit will feature works by Patrick Keller, Dan Barrett, Serafina Andrews, Kathy Carl, Bill Martin, Robert Ross, Lillian Cartwright, Fred Struthers, Beta Morello, Dale Moyer, Mariko Irie, Jay Grey, Ingrid Peterson, Larry Tupper, Miriam Wadiaeff, Jeremy Logan, Gemma, Janet Self, Carol Deetch, Bill Elmore, Don Paglia and Laura Rose.

Linda Shearin's "Making Waves"
Linda Shearin will show her abstract landscapes and seascapes in her Gallery Ten exhibit, "Making Waves." This work represents a new direction for Shearin and was inspired by a Bay Area museum tour to see the work of artist Richard Diebenkorn.

Artists Reception, October 11
Don't miss the free 2nd Saturday Artists Reception, Saturday, October 11, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the Mendocino Art Center. This is your chance to hobnob with the exhibiting artists while nibbling snacks, sipping wine and viewing the new gallery exhibits.

For more information
For more information, call 707-937-5818 or visit www.MendocinoArtCenter.org. The Mendocino Art Center is located at 45200 Little Lake Street (at Kasten Street) in Mendocino, and is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Official Website: http://www.MendocinoArtCenter.org